asked the Minister for the Public Service the cost to the taxpayer of answering a parliamentary question.
Written Answers. - Parliamentary Questions Costs.
773.
In reply to a similar question on 6 February 1975, the then Minister for the Public Service stated:
Because of the number and variety of questions asked and the fact that the time spent in preparing replies is not recorded, it is not possible to give an estimate of average cost. Some replies would cost relatively little. Others would be quite expensive as they can entail a great deal of work in the collection, collation and analysis of material. Any cost would have to cover a large representative sample and would have to be carried out at the time of preparation of the reply.
However, I am now arranging to have a costing carried out on a representative sample of questions and, if the Deputy would put down the question again in the next session I could let him have the information.